2088

日本国民

諸氏

アメリカ合衆国大統領ハリーエスツリーマンより一書を呈す

People of Japan

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am writing to you on behalf of the President of the United States of America, Harry S. Truman.

ナチスドイツは壊滅せり日本国氏も我米国陸海空軍の絶大なる攻撃力を認識せしならむ。

Nazi Germany has been destroyed, and the Japanese have now realized the tremendous offensive power of our U.S. land, sea, and air forces.

貴国為政者並びに軍部が戦争を継続する限り我が攻撃はいよいよその破壊及び行動を拡大強化し日本の作戦を支持する軍需生産輸送その他人的資源に至るまで徹底的に壊滅せずんば熄まず戦争の持久は日本国民の艱苦を徒らに増大するのみしかも国民の得る處は絶無なり。

As long as your government and military continue to wage war, our offensive will continue to expand and intensify its destruction and action, we must thoroughly destroy the munitions production, transportation, and other resources that support Japan's operations, the continuation of the war will only increase the suffering of the Japanese people, and with nothing to gain.

我が攻撃は日本軍部が無条件降伏に屈し武器を巣てるまでは断じて中止せず。

Our offensive will not cease until the Japanese military forces surrender unconditionally and lay down their arms.

軍部の無条件降伏の一般国民に及ぼす影響如何一言にて尽くせばそは戦争の終焉を意味する

If I had to sum up in one word how the unconditional surrender of the military would affect the general public, it would mean the end of the war.

日本を現在の如き破滅の渊に誘引せる軍部の権力を消滅せしめ前線に悪戦苦闘中なる陸海将兵の愛する家族農村或は職場への迅速なる復帰を可能ならしめ且また儚き戦勝を夢見て現在の艱難苦痛を永続するを止むるを意味する

It means to extinguish the power of the military, which is leading Japan to the depths of ruin as it is today, and to enable the soldiers and officers who are struggling at the front to quickly return to their beloved families or workplaces, and also to stop the perpetuation of the present hardships and suffering with dreams of fleeting victory in the war.

けだし無条件降伏は日本国民の抹殺乃至奴隷化を意味するものに非る事は断言して憚らず。

I have no hesitation in asserting that unconditional surrender does not mean the elimination or enslavement of the Japanese people.